Good Morning
by Monkeybandit2
Summary: AU. A twist of fate, and now the world is being saved for the wrong reasons. Gendo's act of selfishness has come back to bite him with avengence. First ever Eva/Saint crossover, at least by official title!
1. Chapter 1

**I own not a right to Evangelion or Saints Row or their characters, though I wish I do for the latter. It is awesome, in my opinion at least. Enjoy!**

Good Morning

Chapter 1: Rising Star

Abandoned city, 35th Street, Japan

A lone man of English descent, dressed to well to be there, equipped with shades, and had no hair leaned back against a black limo smoking a cigarette. Every few minutes he turned his head left to right, only to find himself, the limo, and his superiors and his coworker alone on the street by extension of the limo. He lifted up the sleeve of his jacket to reveal a silver plated watch. It was Six-fifty-seven in the afternoon. That woman was running _late_. He reached into his pocket and fished out a fairly worn photo by now due to repetition.

It was of a purple haired woman of twenty-something in a tank top with the arms ripped off, wearing cut off jeans, and she was leaning forward just enough to reveal some of her bust. Waiting a good near two hours at this spot had long since destroyed any perverted enjoyment he and his coworker got from this picture. Even crooks called to let them know they were running late. Even they have standards. Of course to be fair they arrived one hour early to the appointed time as a matter of courtesy. A courtesy that apparently was not being returned in the man's opinion.

The man ran a hand through his non-existent hair and growled in annoyance. Time to let the other guy take over, he was out of cigarettes and he was not going to be standing to enjoy his last one. He reached for the door handle of the driver's cab when he felt it, a thump so loud it was reminiscent of a corpse landing without flopping yet louder and farther away. It was followed by another, and another in a steady beat. Several military helicopters flew overheard with the urgency only a helicopter can perform.

Great, two hours of waiting and _they_ show up, or more accurately _it_ shows up. He retrieved his hand and walked over to the passenger side of the limo. He bent down to eye level of the passengers and rapped on the window. The window opened fully and the man poked his head inside. "An Angel is comin' sir, ma'ams," He said quietly. He pulled out his head and walked back to the driver's cab as the window closed up behind him.

A resounding explosion caught the man's attention, one of the attack copters was destroyed... and heading straight for them. For a split second the bald man wondered if his coworker was paying attention, and was given his answer when the wheels of his boss' limo spun into action. He soon followed the retreating vehicle at a break neck sprint away from the oncoming wreckage.

Both he, the car, and more importantly his superiors were more than safe from the flame engorged behemoth that was a helicopter even should it explode in a twisted glory that was a explosion, shame that they didn't cause it. Once again the man's attention was robbed when a set of tires squealed to a halt. It was blue alpine that seen better days, and through the window he saw _her_.

A vain bulged out of his forehead as he gritted his teeth when the woman popped herself out of the car with a energetic greeting, "Hello, my name is Misato Katusragi, Captain of NERV. You wouldn't by chance have seen a young asain man here would you?" The man snarled like he had never snarled before, "You're fuckin' late! We've been waiting here a good hour for you to show your arse here and now you show up just in time for a fuckin' Angel to appear, what kind of timin' are ya runnin' on?!" The man screamed, revealing a heavy dose of a Scottish history in his Japanese dialogue. Misato snarled back and was about to say something when another explosion dominated the air. They both looked up to see a creature of black and white coloring towering above the city being attacked by several military helicopters.

"Forget it, drive, drive! We'll follow!" The Scottish man screamed as he yanked open the door and plowed right into the passenger seat. "You have anger issues," the driver said, a man of African descent with black corn rows for hair, dressed similarly to the first, and also wearing shades. "Oh shut up and drive damn it," the Scotsman growled.

"Seat belt," the driver said. Before the Scottish man could even think, he was slammed into his seat as the limo took chase over the Alpine Misato was tearing the streets up with.

XVX

NERV Parking garage, NERV H.Q.

Captain Misato Katsuragi knew she was going to catch hell for allowing unauthorized civilians to enter NERV, but she couldn't leave them out there, right? And they had, or at least knew where Shinji Ikari was, right? She shook her head as she waited for the limo to park itself. She scrutinized the pair that exited from the driver's cab when the task was done.

Two men, one white, the other black. The one she had the 'pleasure' of meeting first was already Scottish from what she could tell, and apparently had a temper if the yelling was an indication. The second man she couldn't really describe more other than having hair in corn rows unlike his partner. Both dressed in suits, tailor made from the looks of it, not remotely cheap. From the top of their buttoned up coats, she could tell they were wearing some sort of reddish-pink undershirt, but not much else to go on. What really caught her notice is that they scanned the garage and spread out from the limo. The only conclusion she could glean was that they were more than the hired help. Then the passenger door of the limo opened before she could draw more a more accurate conclusion.

A long panted leg stepped out, followed by the owner of said leg. Misato stifled a gasp, it was a woman, a _tall_ woman with European features she couldn't identify. She wasn't wearing heals and she was already standing about 6' 5". From head to toe she was dressed in a silk suit in a dark blue. She worn regular shoes, some sort of designer running shoe from the look of it colored in the same fashion as the suit but with a white stripe lilting along the side. Near the top of the woman's coat, Misato could barely make out a white undershirt with some sort of black tip peaking out. Other than height and her choice of dress, Misato noted her skin was somewhat pale, like someone who didn't go out much, she had a gold earring hoop piercing her right earlobe, and she had brown hair with blue eyes. She was actually familiar looking now that Misato thought about it, but she couldn't place her finger on her identity.

The woman stepped away when another figure stepped out of the limo, a man... no a boy actually, a boy dressed more ornately than the 'hired help' as Misato has taken to calling them. She had to stifle a gasp, it was Shinji Ikari, dressed in very expensive black cloths thought could have cost several thousand of dollars to even make. Save for a few items, he was dressed in all black, black pants, black leather shoes, black open coat, black vest, and a black undershirt. The exceptions to the rule were a neck tie tucked under the vest, and a scarf draped over his shoulders that was maroon; maroon on black, certainly a eye catcher.

He looked up at the titan of the group who merely nodded in return, and was rewarded with a smile from the boy. He too stepped away from the vehicle for a third figure to appear. Misato had to double take her appearance. There was a woman, in heels, that was Shinji's height. It was almost comical in her opinion if she didn't present herself as a business woman complete with a briefcase. Like Shinji, this woman was dressed in black. Unlike him, it was a business suit lacking a neck tie with a skirt instead of pants, and she wore her scarf in the same hue as the 'help's' undershirts as a choker on her neck. Like the taller woman, her skin was like someone who didn't go out much. Her hair was also brown, but the eyes were different; she was heterochromatic. She had a brown and a blue eye respectively from her left to her right.

Misato was so enthralled by the unique set of eyes that she failed to notice two presences off to her side, until one of them tapped her shoulder. Misato whirled on the offender in startled shock to find the annoyed look of one Shinji Ikari, with the giant of a woman standing right behind him equally aggravated as the boy. Misato smiled bashfully as she tried to diffuse the small amount of tension in the air, "Hello, I'm Misato Katsuragi. Captain of NERV, I'm here to escort you to-." Shinji interrupted her without remorse, "Would we also be an hour late or are we going to be there _on time_?"

Misato was taken aback by the hostility in the question. "Hey, I had a very good reason for being late," she tried to defend herself. Shinji narrowed his eyes to slits. "Said reason would be?" Misato was sweating a little. There was something off about this kid... "I was uh..." She gulped, truth was she too busy argueing with Ristuko Akagi over an old college affair when she realized she was late and she doubted Shinji was going to take such a excuse lightly. "I'm waiting," he replied tersely.

Misato decided to change tactics, hopefully it will get the kid to back off and knuckle him down. "It's not like you're dead or anything. What is your problem, do you always attack people who show up late?" He asked him heatedly. His reaction was not what she was expected. He took one step and got right into her face despite the height difference with two cold orbs that were eyes. "I like to live by a bit of a code. I can stand a few minutes of waiting past a due time, even hours if someone decided to send word that they were running late. But as I believe Louie the Eighteenth of France had once said or at least lived by, 'punctuality is the politeness of kings.' If someone refuses to be polite, I find myself a bit hard pressed to be polite back unless the situation demands it. Am I understood Ms. Katsuragi?" The captain couldn't stop herself from shivering. It was like she was being lectured by a ice cube with a temper; cold but heated at the same time. Perhaps she was hoping too much when she hoped he wasn't Gendo Ikari in his younger days...

The purple haired woman nodded meekly, mentally exhaling a pent up breath she was too afraid to physically breath out when the young Ikari backed off and allowed her to have her breathing room. She smiled nervously and gestured to a elevator at the end of the garage. "Shall we?" She asked with a iota of her original confidence. Without waiting for a sign of consent, she darted over to the call button and smashed her finger into it. when she looked back, she frowned at the converging group. She opened her mouth to object, but the combined glare of the young Ikari and the seeming bodyguard silenced Katsuragi.

The door opened and they piled in. The 'hired help' standing in front of the only means to enter the car, Shinji and the tall woman in the middle, and Misato standing shoulder-to-shoulder of the heterochromatic woman. Just as the doors were closing, Shinji spoke up again before they began their descent into NERV. "Before I forget Ms. Katsuragi, I do not go by Ikari these days. My name is Shinji Loren."

XVX

NERV elevator, thirty minutes since arrival

Dr. Ritsuko Akagi glared at the descending numbers of the floor numbers. Once again Misato got lost, with the Third Child in custody no less. The Third Angel was on the warpath with them in it and Misato. Got. Lost. Since she wasn't here to glare at, the various elevator components had to do for now. Ritsuko had long stopped counting the times she had to hunt down the sometimes moronic captain when she couldn't locate her destination.

She smirked as an idle thought crossed her mind. "Her dead body would get lost down here if given half a chance should we bury her at the Geo-front," she thought.

XVX

Unknown NERV Corridor

Misato couldn't shake off the smoldering glare from Shinji, now joined by the business woman while the rest were simply annoyed. "Anyone care to bet if it took days before anyone finds our bodies as they wither away into nothing?" The Scotsman 'asked' loudly. "You need anger management," the dark man said with a slight grin. It got wider when he heard the grumble of "shut up" from the bald man. "I'm tempted to say twenty euro if this continues," Shinji grumbled.

"Now, now. I do believe Captain Katsuragi is doing her best to transfer us to wherever we are suppose to be," the business woman said politely with a sickly sweet smile. It made Misato shiver when she saw it. Having a ill tempered mini-Gendo was bad enough for her, but this woman was like icing to that particular cake; she may not be as intimidating but she was something else.

They stopped when they heard the "ding" of a elevator, accompanied by the click of high heels. Seemingly coming out of the wall in the dark corridor, stepped a blond haired woman wearing a lab coat and a diving suit. The minute she spotted the purple haired captain, she saw red and angrily clicked to Misato without regard of Shinji or his entourage. "How come every time you step into NERV I have to stop what I'm doing just to retrieve you?" Ritsuko growled at her long time friend. A snicker from someone drew her attention to the group which enticed her to angrily perk up an eyebrow at them. Her eyes widened when she recognized Shinji but not the group of... civilians. For a moment she was at a loss for words before she rounded on Misato once more with another growl, "Care to explain what is going on?"

Misato scratched her cheek nervously, "Escort service?"

Ritsuko pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "Fine, whatever. Let's just get Shinji down to the Eva cages. If you would follow me Mr. Ikari." She made her way to the elevator without batting an eye at the group. Her mind was set of letting Section Two handle the extra guests should it come to that.

"Loren," Shinji said as he stepped into the car with his entourage a few seconds behind him.

"I'm sorry?" Ritsuko looked at him quizzically. Shinji smiled softly at her, "I'm Shinji Loren, not Ikari. I'm sure you understand Ms. Akagi."

Ritsuko felt her heart stop for a moment and Misato stiffened. They both knew she didn't give him or anyone else in the car her name. While Misato was drawing her own conclusions, Ritsuko was morbidly understanding to a degree at the hidden message. "I don't blame him for taking another name," she thought to herself. Seems Gendo was not as well hidden as he thinks he is. It was almost liberating in a strange way for the dyed blond doctor.

XVX

Eva cages

"Ding."

Ritsuko and Misato took the lead on the catwalk above the lake of red liquid the minute the doors opened. Followed by the two men, then by Shinji, then followed by the two women of his group. "It's dark," stated the Scotsman. Without warning the lights flooded the room in translucent light.

To the entire group's credit, the most they did when they came face to face of an enormous armored face was stare at it. "Meh, I seen scarier."

Three sets of eyes turned to the Scotsman while Shinji and the two women stared at the hulk of metal.

Misato was the first one to speak, "I'm actually kind of curious, what could be scarier than a giant mechanical behemoth?" At this the Scotsman cockily grinned, "Fools and marriage do not blend well together."

"What is going on here?" A voice sternly boomed into the room from above. All eyes turned to the source despite the speaker system that transported the question. Standing above them all was one Gendo Ikari staring down at them from a observation deck, not one shred of humor could be found on his 'angered' face. But what the Scotsman was said was inadvertently true for the Loren group, they seen scarier; they were neither impressed nor intimidated by Gendo.

"I do believe we were having a conversation right up until toy rudely interrupted, _Mr. Ikari_." Ritsuko and Misato turned to Shinji, he never averted his gaze from the Eva when he spoke. Gendo narrowed his gaze on the boy who was his child. Neither said a word to each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"So Dr. Akagi," Shinji finally spoke up, earning the blonds' attention. "Since Mr. Ikari is not going to speak, would you be so kind as to explain the purpose of this meeting?"

The doctor was about to comply when Gendo intercepted her reply heatedly, "You came here because I have need for you." The boy sighed and rubbed his temples. "I asked the good doctor here, not you," he announced. He turned to Ritsuko and asked, "If you would."

Gendo clenched his jaw. He was just ignored in favor of Dr. Akagi. He all but crushed the button of the intercom to the cages. "I gave you your answer," he almost snarled. He observed Shinji as he sighed and asked Akagi to continue and clenched his fist as well as his jaw. The reports said he was weak willed, spineless, desperate. Yet here was someone, dressed like he was going to a meeting, effectively ignoring him in favor of one of his peons. This was not in the scenario.

XVX

"So the long short of it is, this is the only weapon you have against the Angels. And you want me, someone with no knowledge in regards of NERV let alone the Evas, to pilot this mechanical behemoth against them." Shinji stated, his attention back on the purple giant. "Mrs. Keel."

Like she was prepared for this, the business woman produced a set of documents from the briefcase and handed it to the blond. At first she stared at the papers, baffled as to what it was until she began to read more and more of it. She frowned as she flipped from page to page. Misato looked over her shoulder, and creased her brow in confusion. "What is this?" She asked. Ritsuko glanced up at Gendo and grimaced. "It's a contract for payment of services, provision of lodgings of their choosing, compensation for meals, and..." She sucked in a deep breath. "Access to any relevant weaponry/tools blueprints and schematics that will be used during the time up until the contract is concluded."

She clamped her eyes shut and braced for the storm that was to come, she was not disappointed.

"What?!" Gendo barked from his roost. "If you are not going to pilot this, then say so, don't make such ludicrous demands to get out of this! You're not the only person who can pilot the Eva you self centered little bastard!" Gendo roared. "Ah, love from a family. I feel so fuzzy inside," Shinji remarked sarcastically. The African man leaned over to his partner and whispered, "Congratulations, you're not the only one with anger issues." He grinned when he got a growl in return.

Their attention shifted to the same elevator they came from when it dinged. As soon as it opened out came two medical attendants with a injured young girl, roughly the same age as Shinji, on top of a gurney heading straight towards the Eva.

If it was suppose to affect Shinji, he shown no signs of concern. "Well," he said casually, "Looks like you have things under control. Mrs. Keel." Without another word he walked toward, around, and past the trio without regard other than space as the identified Mrs. Keel collected the contract. A set of actions soon mirrored by the entourage, much to the shock of Ritsuko and Misato. Even Gendo went bug-eyed. This was the boy he had so many reports on? The child waiting for the last man to enter the elevator, not once looking at the group at the cages, was Shinji Ikari? The doors closed with a click that was as quiet as a funeral knell. This was not part of the scenario.

XVX

Elevator

"Nemnogo besserdechnaya iz vas, ne tak li?(*)" The giantess finally spoke.

Shinji silently let loose a pent up breath and looked at the door wearily. "YA ne budu etogo otritsatʹ. No nekotorym lyudyam  
nuzhno uchitʹsya oni neyedinstvennyye, kto mozhet derzhatʹ mir v zalozhnikakh.(*)"

Not a single word was spoken during the whole ride from that point.

XVX

Parking garage

Easy money. All they had to do was carry a gun and intimidate people. When push came to shove, they were allowed to kill people off. Anyone who worked for NERV's Section Two were typically only good at one thing, hurting people. Or as the case may be now, to kidnap someone. Twenty guys vs. five people tops, it was easy money in its purest form aside from just standing around.

A thug swatted the open palm of his hand to get a good idea how much harm a nightstick could do. He winced and shook his hand in a effort to numb the pain. The others were inconsequential, but the kid wasn't supposed to be harmed. They should be more than adequate to do the job.

Everyone itching for a bloodbath turned to the elevator when that familiar "ding" sounded. Without a order, they charged the elevator screaming at the top of their lungs. War cries turned to screams of fear when that caught a good look at one of the 'hired help' on his knee aiming that thing at them. The agents of Section Two only had one question in all the panic, "Where did they get a RPG?"

XVX

Stairwell to the garage, a moment before the assault

Gendo marched up the stairs with a snarl. He was not going to be stopped by some punk in a fancy suit. Villain or devil, he will get what he wants. He will not share. He will not bow to some upstart.

Not far behind him trying to keep pace to the single minded power of a rage influenced man was Misato Katsuragi. Unlike Gendo, she was ascending the stairs for a different set of reasons. Who was that bastard that was willing to let an injured girl fight in his stead? Granted Gendo was the one who made the demand, that ultimately it was a bluff, but the kid could have at least gave pause to his decision. He so selfish that if he was denied something, he would turn away? She was going to have words with the little-.

_"BOOM!"_

Misato's heart froze, even Gendo paused and looked up. That was not an Angel attack. Gunfire and screams filtered into the stairwell. The both of them made a mad dash to reach the top of the stairwell. Gendo slammed the door open and blanched.

Not a single Section Two agent he sent ahead survived. Several were in a burning heap while those that survived the blast were gunned down as they fled. Gendo looked around and froze when he spotted the African standing on top of a car with a prepped RPG aimed at him. He didn't dare turn around when he heard the scuffle of a running pair of feet sliding to a frozen stop. For a brief moment he considered ordering the captain to stop them, but he knew better... no one under his employ had the stones to face someone in the advantage that Shinji's man was in.

He gulped and inwardly roared in indignity, but he had little choice. Rei Ayanami, the injured girl was not remotely capable of piloting Unit 01 in her current state. If he used her, it was a guaranteed failure, and all his ambition, his plots, his time and effort spent into the project, it was all for not; he had to... _negotiate_ with his... _son_.

Shinji was strolling to the limo he rode in nonchalantly, followed closely by the large woman, and the woman known as Mrs. Keel. Gendo suppressed the very real urge to snarl at Shinji, he leveled a glare at the boy, "Get rid of the clause for the knowledge of the Evas and you have a deal."

Shinji stopped and looked back with a smug smile. "Do you honestly believe you are in position to make demands?" Gendo glared at him. "Twenty-five million per Angel slain, expenses paid for lodgings and meals anywhere in the city." Shinji continued to smile. "Tempting, but you're still trying to avoid my terms." With a gesture of the hand, the limo roared to life.

Gendo growled in his throat, "You are aware that if NERV falls, the world will soon follow it under the Angels' might." Shinji slowly started walking toward the limo, Mrs. Keel long since reached the door to the passenger side. "Everyone dies Mr. Ikari, question is what is one willing to pay to stay alive." Gendo could swear he saw the devilish smirk on his son's face despite him facing the opposite way from him.

A resounding boom thundered throughout the garage. Shinji looked up and smiled, though the only ones who knew that particular fact was the company he kept. Gendo clenched his fists till they were drained of blood. He outright glared at his son as the veins in his neck bulged. He did not want to lose to _anyone_... Unfortunately to get what he prized above all others, he would have to lose. He'd have to give up one of NERV's darker secrets. "Fine," he growled through clench teeth.

Shinji grinned. "Mrs. Keel, if you would handle the details..."

**A/N: First of a kind! For awhile this idea more or less possessed me despite writing Assassin, the Warhammer/Naruto story.**

**To give everyone fair warning, I am probably not going to update this for awhile due to my preference to finish Assassin, and even then I already have a story lined up. I will update it eventually, but it will most likely be on a whim for awhile.**

**Sorry to string you along like that but I thought it be best if you knew as opposed to being semi-promised. Hope you Enjoyed it!**

**Following are translations to the Russian conversation in the elevator, I only know English so I had to use a translator on the web to do this. Yay Google!**

A little heartless of you, is it not?*

I won't deny that. But some people need to learn they aren't the only ones that can hold the world hostage.*

**Monkeybandit2, making off with your attention! No refunds.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I own not a right to Evangelion or Saints Row or their characters, though I wish I do for the latter. It is awesome, in my opinion at least. Enjoy!**

**Give thanks to sh8d8ow, and to a lesser extent by comparison (no offense), GatsuBerk. I pretty much did not have much interest in updating this story so soon. And by soon I meant within this month. **

**Same warning from the bottom of the last chapter applies however. Please do not expect a repeat performance of this caliber without ego grooming, because I'm that evil.**

Good Morning

Chapter 2: Setting up

Back of a moving truck

Oleg Kirrlov stared at the last of the folder's contents as the metal behemoth that was his transportation rumbled down the road. Being Chief of Security for Shinji Loren was at times demanding work, but it had its rewards. The most pronounced one he always called to mind was the fact that he was no longer stuck in that crucified position at one of Philippe Loren's laboratories. Few outside the DeWynter sisters could ever convince Philippe out of a advantage like that; where they could take all the blood samples they want in near constant supply for their cloning program. Oleg had to constantly marvel at the mystery of how Loren's adoptive son convinced him to let Oleg run free, with the only stipulations being that he worked for the Syndicate and he had to provide a monthly quart of blood for the cloning.

He was grateful for the boy's assistance in the matter, and for convincing the higher ups to allow Oleg any position of his choosing. He choose to be Shinji's Chief of Security for a handful of reasons, most of which involved him not being bothered by the more assertive members of the Syndicate. Oddly enough, though not too odd when he thought about it, the sole majority were the scientists of the cloning program. They never could perfect the clones when it came to their intellect, and it took indirect threats from Loren senior to stop them from dissecting Oleg's brain in their bid to solve this dilemma.

The minority of the reasons was that Shinji bothered treating him like a person. And said boy didn't remotely annoy him with incessant demands that were ludicrous to his position. Chiefs of Security did not get coffee... unless they were being thoughtful. That was a brownnosers' job plain and simple. Moronic bastards...

He turned to the first page of the folder's content once more. He just couldn't contain his excitement any other way short of dancing. The possibility to bio-mechanical replacements to his clones was becoming more and more real with each reading. No more cloning, no more demands for him to be back at the lab, oh how he wanted to sing! Unfortunately there was one roadblock to all this, and its name was Gendo Ikari. He was not going to give up Dr. Ritsuko Akagi without some kind of fight...

Oleg smiled. There was a reason Shinji called for his personal presence to Tokyo-Three. He glanced at something and frowned however. Until they could produce miniature Evangelions, he was forced to work with his clones...

XVX

Meanwhile at a highway to Toyko-Three

A lone beat up green van leisurely traveled along the road, as opposed to the nervous wreck that was driving it with surprisingly calm hands. She never liked to leave the sanctity that was her home, that and being out in the open was sure to draw the attention to the spy satellites spinning around the earth at several miles a second if they caught who was driving this van. If not the satellites then the radio towers, if not the radio towers then the non-encrypted cell phones, and not the cell phones then people associated with law enforcement... the list kept going on and on in branching formations.

If it wasn't for the fact that the Magi of NERV was on the constant lookout for foreign IPs , she would be sitting in her cozy warehouse without looking over her shoulder every five minutes. Such was the luck of Kinzie Kensington, ex-FBI agent, and number one enemy of Matt Miller. If they weren't on the same side, they would probably destroyed the world through electronic warfare if given half the chance to go at it.

How Shinji managed to recruit the recluse was a mystery to many, but the lone discerned fact is that there is a agreement of sorts between the rivaling geniuses to duke it out in their own fashion that both can agree on. So far neither could agree on how to destroy the other.

But these thoughts were the last thing on her mind as Tokyo-Three came into view. Safety came first. Her fingers were crossed that Shinji found a comfy warehouse for her by now...

XVX

Airplane, thirty minutes to Tokyo-One

Vengeance can lead to odd roads, many a experienced or observant man or woman could tell that to anyone. A person could lie in wait for years before acting. A person could storm the walls of a castle in full fury. Some are known to forsake their own humanity to obtain it. But in Angel De La Muerte's case it was joining the a faction of the same side to obtain it.

At first he refused the young boy's offers on multiple occasions, he was a well dressed punk with manners to him. And probably because he lacked the urge to be spiteful to him was the reason the boy kept appearing with an offer to join the Syndicate. It was a matter of time for the literally named "Angel of Death" asked him why he was so insistent on getting him on his side.

The boy just smiled at him pleasantly enough when he replied. "Because I believe you should have a shot to obtain what you want." There was a look in the kid's eyes however he found peculiar. It was like he was speaking for himself for a brief moment. "And besides, every Ceaser needs a Rome to fight to claim. I believe Rome has yet to be claimed."

That was years ago, two in fact. Now the sixteen year old teenager had called him and his Luchador es la Expiación to a new battlefield. He glanced around the privately chartered aircraft at the red, silver, and slightly purple colored masked men that amassed over the years to match Killbane's own Luchadores. He looked down at his own mask, retrieved in a gambit at the vain bastard's own casino where Shinji orchestrated a hell raising bar fight by having all the drinks paid at his expense. How the fight started was unknown, and the young man booked it long before Killbane himself got to the floor to quell the brawl personally.

Three-Count Casino had long been declared a dry establishment after that due to the twenty five pile up in corpses.

A lone thumb ran through the familiar stitching. Angel did something few people had seen him do since his shame brought on by his former partner's actions against him, he smiled. Tokyo-Three, how he didn't know but suspected his young employer had a hand in it, was going to be host to Murderbrawl XXXI. His long awaited match was soon to happen in a matter of months.

XVX

Tokyo-Three Penthouse living room

Jennifer Keel put down the finally laid the cell phone to rest. Everything was coming together. Oleg was coming in with a detachment of brutes, much to his displeasure to that. Angel's group was but a half hour away from landing to be received by the drivers to ferry them to Tokyo-Three. Unfortunately Kinzie has yet to make contact, but that was expected with her paranoid tendencies. Now all they had to do was wait for the arrival of extra hands to arrive by port to secure their hold on the city.

Not a lot of small time elements of the criminal nature had the backbone to challenge a larger armed force after all. And considering SEELE's interest in the Evangelion project, the more the merrier.

She reached up and rubbed a stiff shoulder with a pained groan, it was a bad habit of her to stand unnaturally still when talking on a phone and it always bore consequences when the call was over ten minutes.

Her heels clicked at steady rhythm as she crossed the living room to hunt down the young Loren in his room. As she crossed the room and ventured into the hallway to get to the stairs, she half-heartedly eavesdropped on a 'conversation' that carried into it from the door way.

"For the last fuckin' time, BEAT IT!" She winced a little when the door slammed closed. It has been a week since the fight with the Third Angel, and since Misato Katsuragi learned of Shinji's living arrangements she has made an effort to move in under the guise of, quote, "needing to live with a guardian," end quote. That argument had been shot down with a eerie smile from Mrs. Keel, and tempered further with a door slamming into her face by an irate Scotsman.

She had long escaped upstairs to escape another jab at the man's temper by his coworker. Misato just did not know when to quit. And if she bothered to look, on paper it was Mrs. Keel herself that was Shinji's registered guardian. The woman smirked, it was a formality to avoid a means to investigate into his life and quite possibly the inner workings of their organization.

Keel... Odd how her last name almost fitted her position. In a layman's terms her last name literally meant main structural element. She was to Shinji as the DeWynter sisters were to Philippe Loren himself, his primary assistant; it was remarkable how similar the two were in some details, particularly they can essentially order someone around and call the shots, but at the end of the day they need someone to handle the finer details without being swamped by them.

And like the sisters, if their boss dies from unfortunate circumstances then she was the most likely to take over operations with an iron fist. Not that either party had interest in ending their employers. They had their bad days but not worth bumping them off for... they could live without the April fool pranks however. Why two fairly powerful people had a interest in that 'holiday,' they would never know.

Her fingers lace around the door knob to Shinji's room and twist the knob. She sighed at the sight that greeted her. Shinji was staring off into the world outside via a window and Sophia Kirrlov was sitting nearby on a couch with a newspaper on hand, occasionally glancing toward her young charge for assurance before returning to the paper.

Mrs. Keel's mind momentarily took leave to remember the day the previously unknown niece of the Russian giant was met.

Sophia Kirrlov, age twenty-nine next month, former professional wrestler of the Women's Wrestling League of Russia till three years ago save for a small hiccup. Shinji was on business in Moscow, Russia with Philippe himself to get a tighter grasp at the concept of ruling a criminal empire while mentored by the sisters, at the time Mrs. Keel was more of a nanny than a assistant to the young Loren due to his age.

During this trip Shinji took a interest in the wrestling tournaments that seemingly appeared out of the woodwork after their arrival. During the off hours of the trip, the young Loren was found at any of the most talked about matches when they took place. Kirrlov's was one such match.

In hindsight it was obvious from the start that the match was rigged when the referee stepped out of the arena, but Shinji didn't know better. And Sophia had not the time to take notice of that fact when her opponent rushed her like an animal. Despite the woman's height and relative power her opponent was too nimble to grab and to Sophia's horror when she learned later, her opponent was armed. Flesh colored Brass knuckles repeatedly attack her legs as her opponent darted to and fro, it was a matter of time before bone and sinew broke under the assault.

Sophia Kirrlov had to be carted away on a stretcher for a shattered Femur. When the referee returned and announced the contender was named the victor. When the hand to announce the victory was thrown up, that was when Shinji noticed something odd in the shorter woman's hands. Something shaped like a brass knuckle.

Jennifer Keel never really understood what was going through Shinji's mind when he asked her to look into the matter. Perhaps he saw himself in that situation, when his biological father abandoned him for his own interested regardless of the pain he sowed onto others. But she was not one to disappoint.

Apparently Sophia's opponent, Trisha Ivanov, was the daughter of a local Russian mob boss. Rather than see his daughter being harmed, he bought off or destroyed the people his daughter was pitted against. Sophia was one of the few that wouldn't be bought off, and every other tactic was rendered useless by freak chance and experience when dealing with his type. Buying off the referee and arming his daughter with specialized brass knuckles was the last resort that came to fruition.

With a dead career, Sophia was rather easy to talk to, let alone find considering the seriousness of the injury. It was like talking to corpse if she didn't occasionally murmur back.

Whether Philippe actually cared for the real reason or not, he left Shinji to his own business in Russia when asked. For six months, Shinji spent what time he could to the recovering giantess of a woman. He occasionally got her to laugh at some anecdote for brought up in idle conversation.

Eventually he came to her with a offer, to join a program within their organization that could give her back her position in the ring. The Bionics division. Its original purpose was to render the use of the brutes obsolete with super soldiers. Indeed one gained superhuman abilities from advanced regeneration to enhanced strength, but ultimately it was deemed more cost efficient to use clones to do the job instead of enhanced Syndicate members; the cost to produced a squad of ten brutes was equal to the cost of making a three bionic super soldiers. That and brutes had a lower expectation to go rogue.

The Bionic division was now a former shell of itself, and its remaining staff are but a handful of surgeons and scientists compared to the legion it once was.

Sophia accepted.

Though Shinji paid for all the expenses, for nearly three years Sophia acted as a bodyguard in between rehabilitation and conditioning sessions to pay off the 'debts' she owed him. The one time she stopped was to participate in her old League's matches earlier this year. 'Reigning champion' Trisha Ivanov was ill prepared for the return and wrath of her 'defeated' opponent...

Now here was Sophia back on duty. The joy that was in destroying Trisha, literally, had long since passed as she resumed her role. Thoughts of being a wrestler long dead when her career was ended by a broken femur.

Jennifer Keel shook her head.

She observed her superior in the chain of command as he looked out the window with glazed eyes. She knew that look. He always got it when he was thinking about something in deep thought that words were virtually useless in rousing him out of his stupor. From her years of being with Shinji she could assume it was either one of two things: trying to convince Dr. Akagi into joining the syndicate, or about his _biological_ father. From the lack of hand clenching, it was most likely the former.

She walked over and gave her young charge a pat on the shoulder, jolting him out of his reverie. She smiled at his curious glance as she said, "They'll all be here soon."

Shinji smiled back and returned his gaze on the city.

The Syndicate was coming to Tokyo-Three, and no one was going to stop it.

**A/N: To those savvy with Saints Row 3 and wondering why I did not include Zimos... I couldn't imagine him working with Shinji considering his (Shinji) association with Morning Star. You have to admit, those who played the game, that you would have second thoughts about working for someone who's with your... let's say tormenters out of respect of Zimos' situation. Oleg, Kinzie, and Angel were the most flexible in my view.**

**If you need additional reasoning, here it is, feel free to skip this part if you want: I'm more or less basing Oleg's employment on a quote from Kinzie in a out of mission conversation with the guy, he's a "Russian superman," he doesn't have much choice in terms of employment with his size and intellect. Can you imagine him working at a DMV? No? Same here. That and in a world that is electronic heavy, Matt could've spotted him the second he stepped out of his hiding place by hacking a satellite.**

**Kinzie and Angel pretty much want to get back at the ones that wronged them. Kinzie you can at least agree could be reasoned with in regards that Matt Miller of the Deckers is her enemy, he framed her and all that. I will admit it's a bit of a stretch. Angel, I'm certain in my opinion that with a few right words he could've been convinced to join the Syndicate so long as he gets to take down Killbane without scruples outside of the Luchador code. Stealing his mask back? You might have me there, but you have to consider Shinji's affiliation. It would've been disastrous if he decided to storm the place with Angel even if he got out alive. Killbane is a part of the Syndicate too.**

**If you're wondering about the Ceaser comment, those who either weren't paying attention to the game let alone played it, Killbane tends to refer to himself as a general or a Ceaser (Title of Rome's leader/emperor in the ancient world) one more than one occasion in the game.**

**No, Burt Renalds, no matter how awesome he is, is not appearing in this story. I feel like living to plot another day, thank you very much.**

**Spanish to english translation: **Luchador es la Expiación- Wrestler's Atonement

**I am open to suggestions to finding a better name for Angel's version of Killbane's Luchadores. But it must be in Spanish. Just feels right that way.**

**Monkeybandit2, making off with your attention! No refunds.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I own not a right to Evangelion or Saints Row or their characters, though I wish I do for the latter. It is awesome, in my opinion at least. Enjoy!**

**My warning is still in effect.**

Good Morning

Chapter 3: Settling in, moving out

Katsuragi apartment

Whenever she thought of Shinji, something just felt off about it. Aside from the first day where she slated the young boy of sixteen as a miniature version of her boss, she couldn't get much of a read on him. If anything, he was like a much more relaxed version of Gendo until vexed. Hell, the 'hired help' and other staff that had been appearing at his residence get thirty minute smoke breaks unless there is an emergency!

Misato nearly glared at the ceiling as she downed another beer. Now that she thought about it, who were those people that shown up lately? They smelled too much like blood and gunpowder to be bodyguards... she winced when she remembered the one with braided hair aiming a RPG launcher at her. They were too heavily armed as well. Literally too in the big guy's case... Oleg was it? And she thought that woman was tall! He could probably lift a car and toss it like a baseball with all that muscle on him!

She shuddered as the thought of him turning his strength on her... she might have to buy a anti-tank rifle for any fight to be fair... the can of beer was tossed away into the sea of trash that dominated her apartment.

She winced as she was reminded of that topic... though Gendo had ordered her to find out what she can about his 'son' by any means possible, she was really in it to get into that penthouse Shinji was living in... it would take her years before she could even horde a mountainous pile of trash! But it seemed that they, Shinji and Mrs. Keel as she is often called, have thought of every legal way to bar her and any agent of Section Two from learning a thing about Shinji... and they were far less forgiving of her when they found out her ulterior motive of moving out of her apartment since she won't clean it.

"Since when was the lack of cleanliness a far more important issue than spying?" Misato groaned out loud, unaware of her cell phone nearby as it lighten up.

XVX

Meanwhile, non-disclosed location

"Because even villains have standards," Kinzie said with a wry smile.

"I unfortunately have to agree with you on that Agent Kensington," a British voice spoke from her laptop.

"Stay out of my computer Matt," Kinzie growled as she masterfully booted her unwanted guest out.

XVX

Meanwhile, another non-disclosed location 

Matt Miller, British cyber god, crossed out the first item on his to-do list: annoy Kinzie.

He eagerly stroke a few keys on his wrist-bound keyboard to enact the second item on his list, the one person who is less able and less likely to ignore him, let alone kill him, when he came knocking.

XVX

Penthouse

Oleg strode through the halls as he read Ritsuko Akagi's file for the umpteenth time, half-acknowledging his surroundings between people, objects, and on occasion a set of stairs. No one knew or took note when he started to roam the hallways like this but judging from the occasional grabbing of a door knob to open said door, glance up from the folder to peek inside, then closing the door with a small "humph," it was assumed that he was looking for the boss' room without actually looking; Oleg's mind just couldn't concentrate between searching for Shinji and planning to entice Dr. Akagi to join them willingly, and he was still on a natural high with the idea of the clone program being put out of business!

In his semi-blind blind state, he probably searched roughly fifty doors if repeatedly 'searched' rooms were counted before he found the door he was looking for. It was obvious the moment he opened the door to be jolted out of his reverie in surprise.

"I'm telling you Matt, Nyte Blade is just a shitty vampire based show. Josh Birk can go screw himself for all I care. Stop calling me about it for Christ's sake!" Shinji virtually screamed at his speaker phone on his desk.

Ah yes... the infamous Matt/Shinji argument over Nyte Blade in America. This would take awhile.

Oleg moseyed over to a especially large chair built specifically for him while he dug into one of his pockets. He fished out a pair of earplugs as he sat down, and proceeded to put them on as the two bickered. For the umpteenth time since the umpteenth time, he read Akagi's file once more.

"You have to admit mate, the themes are good! And the hidden meanings behind it have to redeem it, it's probably the greatest allegory to the inhumanity to man by mankind itself!" Matt shouted back.

"Still saying it, they could gold plate the discs and give me rights to the television studio that made it for free and I will still not like it. It. Is. Crap. Even if you are half right where those _themes_ were placed there 'intentionally,' it is most likely a side effect because they knew the show is crappy and are trying to save it!" Shinji exclaimed!

"Oh you take that back!" Matt yelled back indignantly.

"Oh I have a better idea Matt..." Shinji calmly spoke with a grin.

"_Click_." Shinji cackled mutely as he kept his finger of the End button of his speaker phone.

"Did you really just hang up on me?" Matt growled from the speaker, somehow bypassing the ringing portion of calling someone. Not that was surprising to those who knew him.

"Did it sound something like this?" Shinji jabbed the end button once again with a grin.

"Now you sir are being rude," Matt grumbled.

"Too true." _Click_.

"I won't stop calling."

"I won't stop clicking then." _Click_.

"Not giving up till you apologize."

"Not going to happen." _Click_.

"I've got all day to do this."

"So do-." _WHAP!_ "Ow!" Shinji screamed in surprise and pain as he clutched the back of his suddenly throbbing head.

A hand seemingly ghosted into appearance overt the same button Shinji was amusing himself with. "Actually, we do not have all day to do this little game of yours. So if you would be so kind Mr. Miller, we have work to do." Mrs. Keel clicked the button, ending the pointless squabble.

"Did you really have to hit me?" Shinji grumbled as he gingerly groped the assaulted area that was his skull.

"Well, it would be rude of you to keep your company waiting," Jennifer coolly said as she pointed toward Oleg. Said man flipped through another page of the folder.

Shinji raised an eyebrow at the man ignoring him. He didn't even realize Oleg stepped into his office... then again any argument with Matt tends to sap away his attention to his surroundings. Case and point, this would probably the fifteenth time Jennifer snuck up on him to nail the back of his head with a fist.

Shaking himself free of those thoughts, Shinji pulled open a desk drawer and retrieved a candy bar. With odd accuracy, he tossed and landed it on Oleg's lap. Nonchalantly, Oleg closed the folder, removed the ear plugs, and got a hold of the attention grabber that assailed him. A sweet milk chocolate attention grabber...

"I assume you have a plan of sometime in regards of Dr. Akagi?" Oleg finished off the snack in the second bite and gulp. He cleared his throat and directed his attention to his employer. "Indeed. We have her come to us," Oleg rumbled out. Shinji raised an eyebrow and steeple his hands.

"Considering the stakes in place for failure, it would be best to air on the side of caution where we can. It would be suspicious to Gendo Ikari if one of our men approached her with an offer, and we have no guarantee she wouldn't inform him or possibly SEELE even if we didn't have a worry about Gendo's... 'surveillance.'" Oleg had to suppress a groan while Shinji smirked.

Morningstar, Luchadores, Deckers, they all hired extra bodies to help them get the work done. What they didn't do was grab whoever looked like the meanest son-of-a-bitch off the street, give him a gun, and expect them to do the job assigned to them. Each side of the Syndicate may have differing criteria to be met, but those criteria served a better purpose than intimidation and having the higher amount of bodies. Skill, experience, and training were not qualities to be overlooked.

To someone as experienced as Oleg, it was like Gendo was trying to mimic some kind of warlord in more ancient times where the sword and numbers ruled the battlefield where tactics was not in use. It was just insulting to the former secret operative of Russia.

"Well, I suppose we should get started." Shinji glanced over to the speaker phone. "If you're listening Kinzie, would you be so kind as to help Oleg where you can? More specifically where she's going or planning to do."

"I sure can. It seems Gendo has Dr. Akagi's apartment under constant surveillance from what the idle chatter of the goons stationed there have to say. It seems that Oleg's plan would be our best bet. The only time she is relatively unguarded is when she is outside of both her residence and NERV itself. These guys Gendo has been hiring are just not up to par on anything." Kinzie idly spoke from the speaker phone.

Shinji picked up a cell phone and lazily scrolled through his address book much to the curiosity of Oleg.

XVX

Angel's Sanctuary, Wrestling Gym wing

"Aaaargh!"

A masked wrestler gritted his teeth in agony as he clutched his dislocated shoulder while on the floor. The minute he opened his eyes, he gasped in horror as a crashing body of another wrestler came hurtling towards him.

A pair of cries ripe with agony pierced the gym as Angel ignored his fallen contenders in favor of wiping the sweat from himself with a rag.

"Sir, the boss the on the line!" A masked wrestler said as he entered the gym flanked by a small team of medics rushing in to the maimed wrestlers' relief.

Angel confiscated the cell from the other wrestler.

"Angel here."

A moment of silence ensued if the wounded wrestlers were to be ignored.

"Yes sir." The phone beeped, indicated the end of the call. Angel turned to the masked luchador and said sternly, "Gather everyone we have available , we have work to do."

XVX

Penthouse, Shinji's office

"That should give you some cover," Shinji stated with a grin.

Oleg almost grinned smugly. What better way to defeat an enemy other than cut off their supply line. Gendo would be forced to look for more bodies in far less local areas when the local count would soon drop severely under the guise of a gang taking over to push their wares.

It made the job much easier when the opponent has to relocate his resources to maintain some semblance of order.

The work phone on Shinji's desk rang with irksome clarity. Shinji groaned and retrieved the phone off the hook.

"Shinji here."

Under a minute later, he slammed the phone back into place and abruptly got up. "Well that's just convenient."

Without batting an eye at anyone, he strolled to the door. "Best get started when you can, I have a date with an Angel."

**A/N: Not much to say other than a whim thing.**

**If you're one of those people who either likes to reread what you just read or just coming to this chapter after bulldozing past the previous two, you may find the Russian dialogue had been changed. When I originally used the translator, I failed to comprehend the phonetic factor that should have been there instead of the written word. Same translation, just altered to what it would've sounded like when spoken.**

**Monkeybandit2, making off with your attention! No refunds.**


	4. Chapter 4

**I own not a right to Evangelion or Saints Row or their characters, though I wish I do for the latter. It is awesome, in my opinion at least. Enjoy!**

**My warning is still in effect. **

Good Morning

Chapter 4: To note the past, and change the future

The Garden

He had that look again. From the death grip the armchair's arm, Jennifer Keel had to conclude it was regarding his 'other father.' She glanced around the restaurant for their little guest of honor before hazarding a look at her watch. It was five minutes till she said she would arrive. Five years and Shinji clamped onto his white whale without mercy... the silver lining to this unhealthy obsession was that cloud was Shinji had enough mastery over his emotions that he won't act on them; not yet at least. The only reasons, Mrs. Keel noted, that Shinji has yet to act out were the facts that most of the 'conversations' they had had severe lack of personal contact with each other, their 'conversations' were short, and he was in the company of one of two people in Tokyo-Three that could help keep him level-headed when they did communicate.

Three if Oleg wasn't busy writing poetry to Dr. Akagi every time he read her case file.

Jennifer Keel glanced toward the door once more and stifled a gasp. She arrived. Shock turned into a disapproving frown when a familiar head of purple hair trailed after her with a bounce on her step... Misato had to be a bodyguard or something, there was no way Ritsuko was despicable enough to try to worm her into the deal... was she? Regardless...

She tapped Shinji with her foot, rousing him out of his thoughts with a glare anyone would've flinched to. Anyone save the those experienced enough to know the reason behind it.

Shinji blinked and gave his assistant a bashful, apologetic grin. It was lost when he read her hand's two pronged point. Ristuko had company. The young Loren cautiously glanced towards the blond heading towards them and had to bite back a groan when he spotted Misato tailing Ritsuko with a ecstatic grin. The sole consolation being, other than Ritsuko showing up, was that she, Misato, was dressed for the occasion.

Shinji stood up and put on the best fake smile he could muster for the occasion. "It's good to see you Dr. Akagi... Ms. Katsuragi..." Shinji said, though it was a little strained with Misato's last name. Unseen by all Ritsuko smirked. Misato was probably the only person in the world as Ritsuko knew it to ever successfully get under anyone's skin just by showing up, something she herself had plenty experience of being on the receiving end on many a occasion back in their college days.

It was nice not to be on the suffering party for a change.

"Shinji! It's been too long! How have you been?" Misato cheerily greeted the young man.

"We encountered each other yesterday during the Synchronization tests," Shinji pointedly countered.

Misato chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "That we did..."

She made to sit down in a nearby available chair when her eye caught the glint of something. "Excuse me, I just got myself a date," Misato said and virtually teleported to a nearby bar, planting herself on a stool. Shinji blinked.

He opened his mouth to say something yet closed it as he chalked it up as some form of blessing in disguise.

His rear became reacquainted with the seat that suffered his death choke.

"I'm sorry about this small inconvenience. I accidently told her I was coming here and she invited herself to come along regardless of protests. There's just no stopping Misato when her mind is set." Ritsuko smiled a small sheepish smile and gave a apologetic bow from her seat.

Jennifer leaned out of the way enough to spot what caught Misato's interest. Her nose crinkled. "Would it be safe to assume that Yebisu beer can distract her from certain subjects?"

Ritsuko groaned and rubbed her temples with close eyes. "At best it's a hit and miss affair," she rumbled out.

"Good to know," Shinji said with a grin. A waiter came by with a small number of menus and departed.

"I would like to thank you once again for the near perfect body you gave us a week ago."

Shinji nodded in acknowledgement as he perused the menu. "You know, when I was first approuched by..." Ritsuko starts, only to stop as she considered her course of action.

"As long as you don't call him my _father_, you can call him a piece of shit for all I care," Shinji nonchalantly offered without looking up. He grimaced in pain when a swift kick of a high heel found his leg. "Language," Jennifer chided with a smile.

Shinji continued reading the menu unabated.

A small smile found itself on Ritsuko's face. "Gendo Ikari offered me a chance to supersede my mother on the day of her funeral. Admittedly it was like being offered the chance to find the Holy Grail. For the longest time I can remember I have resented my mother and her work. We were hardly close as a family, and the few times we were together it was business only."

"Back then the reason to upstage my mother, despite her death, was reason enough for me to join Ikari's platform. Without a second thought I dove into the teaming waves that was my mother's research and supplemented it with my own and implemented my own ideas..."

The waiter returned with a large bowl of salad with several smaller bowls and tongs alongside a pitcher of iced water.

"In the end I realized something..." She continued when the waiter left after silently taking their orders amongst other duties. "Even as I soared to great heights, even if I was the one who got the Evas into functioning order, I was just like my mother..." She took her glass of water and took a meticulous sip.

"So I ask you, Shinji Loren, should I do come to work for you, how would it be any different than working for Ikari?"

Shinji smirked, "The only thing I can promise is that humanity would be free to do everything it has done under the sun and moon from here to its extinction."

A playful smile adorned Ritsuko's lips. "And no promises regarding the thirty minute smoke breaks that's been driving Misato nuts?" Shinji raised his glass with a grin. "Give me more credit, have an hour on account for having a difficult job."

Abrupt laughter from Misato drew their attention to catch the rambunctious woman clinging to the bar for dear life as other patrons tried to placate her overly joyful mood.

"Before I forget... is there any chance-."

"Not happening."

"I second that."

"It's about her apartment isn't it?"

"Actually I think it's been officially designated a landfill according to City Hall," Jennifer stated almost too seriously.

"And Misato says I'm too obsessed one..." Ritsuko muttered.

"Pardon us for wanting to see the floor," Shinji deadpanned.

"Touché."

XVX

Gendo's mansion

Gendo Ikari, formerly Rokobungi, reread Shinji's file for the twentieth time this week alone with clenched fists. Everything about it was false save for the facts he knew himself such as Shinji's birthday and who his mother was. There was nothing in it about Shinji taking the last name of Loren. Nothing about him being adopted into some family with some sort of mafia background that could literally pave a street in gold if they so desired. Hell, he seems to hate the Cello more than play it, though that was an admitted exaggeration. Nothing about Shinji that was in the paper in front of Gendo had an iota of truth only he intimately knew.

What was Rojo Jubei doing all these years since he had him watch over the boy since age three?

A finger jabbed a nearby speaker phone without an eye to guide it. It sputtered to life with the dial of a tone to a number unseen by Gendo, but he knew who it was trying to reach.

"Hello?" A voice called out from the speaker.

"Hello? Mr. Ikari?"

"Since when did Shinji adopt the name Loren?"

"Um... pardon?" The reply was easily shaky, and not from a bad connection.

"How about a better question," Gendo answered by, deathly serious. "How long has Shinji been missing under your watch?"

Gendo didn't need to see the man to know he was sweating bullets now with his hand choking the phone.

"A-almost the end of the first week since y-you left... sir..."

"Where and how."

A gasp of air was barely audible from the other side as Rojo tried to quiet his panicking heart. "Tokyo Central metro, we were separated in the crowds..."

Gendo smashed his finger on the end call button, leaving his unnerved henchmen holding the phone dumbly at the other side as the former patriarch of the Ikari family contemplated the consequences this slip up.

"Thirteen years, a mafia family, and divulgence of the Eva schematics... what else can go wrong?"

XVX

Unknown warehouse

"No, NO!"

The gang leader's head exploded in a gory mess of bone and brain matter, adding to the other countless bodies decorating the ground when the leader's corpse dropped.

"Let's get this shit cleaned up..." A Morningstar subordinate grouched. Several hulking figures lumbered past him while he whipped out a phone and went through his call list.

"Speak," the Russian security chief rumbled.

"West side of Tokyo-Three is clear sir, but we had to kill off some recruiting parties from NERV to maintain cover. The Expiación are running a second sweep on their side of the city to make sure they didn't miss anyone."

"Good, run a second sweep yourself after the clean up. We have to keep ourselves out of the spotlight as long as possible."

"Yes sir." He cut off the connection and rubbed his temples to ward off the coming storm Oleg was so familiar with...

"Where da bodies go?" One of the Brutes asked as it held a corpse in each hand.

The agent hiked his thumb back at the entrance. "Garbage truck, all the dead guys go into the garbage truck."

Without batting an eye at him further, the brute lumbered past him followed by several others. They only got two steps from the portal.

"Which one's da garage truck?" One brute called out.

"The one that's bigger than you guys! And it's Garbage truck, gar-bage!" It was going to be a long night.

XVX

Three hours later, undisclosed location

"Ultimately I cannot agree that bio-mechanical soldiers are a viable option in the near future regarding Evas," Ritsuko stated in a matter-a-fact tone to the giant of a man in front of her.

Oleg raised a curious eyebrow. "Would you please elaborate doctor?"

Ritsuko commandeered a nearby laptop and searched through it for a picture of Unit-01. She turned the screen to the Russian and started to explain in the same fashion as a professor to a student. "Evangelions produced at the cheapest of levels still soaks up money in the millions just to complete let alone maintain, which in comparison isn't as much to produce but it is sizable enough to consider decommissioning Evas the minute the Angels are no longer a threat on any scale."

The image switched to a rough draft picture of the syndicate's interest in the Evangelions when literally downsized. If one was unfamiliar with the plan, it would've been mistaken as a fashion design for a armored solider with a head covering helmet, and various faction symbols painted on the breastplate. "Even if we did go with the Syndicate's plan and was being conservative in its spending, a single Syndicate Eva could cost as close to half a million, give or take, in any nation's currency to make. And that would include programming, engineering, weapon calibrations... you get the idea."

Oleg sighed and leaned back into his chair, running a hand through his bald head. "However..." Oleg looked at the chief scientist of NERV. "Shinji has taken the liberty to inform me of your current... predicament if you will."

"And?" He said tersely.

"I do believe I have an idea to at least lesson your burden."


	5. Chapter 5

**I own not a right to Evangelion or Saints Row or their characters, though I wish I do for the latter. It is awesome, in my opinion at least. Enjoy!**

**My warning is still in effect.**

Good Morning

Chapter 5: Dominion challenged

Penthouse

"As of today Jennifer Keel is in charge of operations pertaining to NERV." That was the last thing Shinji had said to anyone prior to locking himself into his office. No one dared to so much as think about going near it when vases and furniture were heard being smashed save for Oleg, Sophia, and Jennifer herself, yet all three chose to leave him be. People handled rage in different ways.

As Shinji came to learn from Ritsuko, _Genjo Ikari_ just added another sin against his son by point of view. When it all started for Shinji, the first strike against him was when the plans for the Red Earth Ceremony were discovered by the Syndicate. In order to bring down the Angels to enact the next phase of 'evolution' as SEELE called it, they empowered Gendo to form NERV. Though the reasoning was iffy by everyone's standards, only teenagers were capable of piloting Evangelions. Unstable or easily manipulated ones according to Dr. Akagi. Asuka Sohryu's file made it abundantly clear along with "his own." Shinji never once thought that Gendo's actions that day was something more than the act of a broken man till he became aware of the machinations of SEELE.

The second strike came from Gendo's brazen demand for him to come to Tokyo-Three. Sixteen years of no communication between the two and those most effort Gendo put forth was one word, "Come."

Third strike was what information that could be gathered further reinforced with their new doctor's testimony; Gendo was eying the spot of god and had no qualm steam rolling those who stand against him where he could to attain it.

Then there was the latest strike. There was only one question he had for Ritsuko Akagi. "How did Gendo obtain my mother's DNA?" For the past hour and a half since returning to the penthouse, all thoughts regarding Rei Ayanami were put on hold.

XVX

Kinzie's hideout

Kinzie scowled as she fervently stroke the keys of her one constant companion in the world. Gendo managed to slip off the grid for the past hour and Shinji was... indisposed for the time being, leaving her to report to _Mrs. Keel_ unless Oleg was available; he hasn't been since Dr. Akagi came aboard. At least Oleg respected her reclusive ways while Shinji was content with letting do what she wished. "Evil control freak." Kinzie growled as she continued to hunt down Gendo.

A meeting with SEELE was the most likely suspect to his disappearance yet paranoia dictated she confirms that; surprises were still not a welcomed sight for her and the Tokyo-Three Syndicate even after they took control of its underworld. The corpses could attest to that.

XVX

Penthouse

If anything, Phillipe Loren was much more pleasant to look at. The accent and his manners may have helped with that. Being several hundred miles away from him may have also helped. Huzzah for video chat!

"I'm sorry but I continue to fail to understand you Miss Akagi," he said. His insistence that he was Belgian was the only thing keeping her from saying he was French in origin.

Ritsuko cusped her chin and closed her eyes in contemplative thought as she tried to explain to the head of the Syndicate her idea. He was strangely excepting of the fact that Eva soldiers made cyber enhanced soldiers look cheap...

Smalls words would have to do.

"What I am trying to say is we create a unique clone of Oleg Kirrlov with the use of Angel DNA. It is a theory but I suspect that we can recreate at least the body structure and genetic codes of Oleg Kirrlov. Considering the history of your cloning program, there would virtually no difference between the recreation and the original's 'offspring' if you will." She flashed a apologetic smile at a annoyed Oleg standing outside the camera's grasp.

"So you are proposing is we make clones... from a clone. Am I correct?" Loren skeptically replied.

She frowned a little. "A 'clone' which has Angel DNA to modify its body structure to be just as good as the original's genetic blueprints."

Loren lazily blinked. "Is such a option viable?"

Ritsuko had to repress a sigh from escaping her. Shinji was already in a bad mood becuase of this and admittedly... "I have been working on our own cloning program here in NERV for the past decade. I will not claim mastery over it but I will say I know that Angel DNA is capable of bonding with human DNA as exhibited in Rei Ayanami... a admitted clone of Yui Ikari."

Phillipe was silent for a moment. "I take it dear Shinji has already been informed about this?"

"He has taken to locking himself into his room to vent," Oleg interjected from out of view.

"Well I suppose that is a good thing..." Loren muttered to himself. "Well then, when is the soonest that you will be capable of enacting your... 'clone' theory?"

Ritsuko smiled a bit as she mildly lashed out at Gendo and SEELE. "I can send a sample immediately, while my research notes would take more time to collect and send since I am given to understand that Ms. Kensington is busy at the moment while I have to create copies of my research without being noticed." The head of Morningstar and the Syndicate nodded in acceptance. "Well then, unless there is something else you wish to say I bid you adieu." He reached over and clicked a button unseen by the camera, effectively ending the conversation.

Ritsuko released a pent up sigh and turned to a skeptical Oleg observing from afar. "I suppose I gave Mr. Ikari too much credit if he permitted you to carry a sample of DNA from an Angel." The doctor smirked as she walked past the giant of a man as she replied, "Being the chief scientist of NERV has its benefits."

XVX

Armored Limo

Humility, what was the price of it? A few hundred thousand in cash? Complete and utter subjugation? A man holding a gun to another's head? By the end of this excursion, no one will stand between him and his goal. Especially not his own blood.

XVX

Penthouse, one day later

"How'd we get snagged into this job again?" A Morningstar member grumbled to himself as he swept another piece of porcelain.

"I believe it involved you crashing the boss' Limo into a tree," a female member grouched.

"Right... was my idea. Who was it that vomited inside said Limo? I do believe you and your... come to think of it where is your sister?" He asked. Both members halted their clean up in the warzone that was Shinji's office to find they were one person short.

Soft giggling was heard from a doorway leading deeper into the office, a door known to lead to Shinji's personal quarters. "Please tell me she's just slacking off..." The woman deadpanned. The dull hushing of a more masculine voice crept through...

"Oh the boss is not going to like this when he gets back..." Her partner deadpanned.

The entire building shook; both members of Morningstar dashed to the sole window of Shinji's office to confirm what became, more or less, a routine for the entire city.

"It's always kind of weird to see a city sink into the ground, let alone the very building your standing in..."

XVX

NERV locker room

Shinji eyed Rei ever since he spotted her in the same locker room as him, his gaze averted only once to give her some measure of decency. He honestly was not sure what to think of her. She was Gendo's puppet, yes, yet she wasn't given much of a choice by forced birth much like the brutes he commanded. A part of him wanted to hate her for what she was yet at the same time he couldn't help but feel sympathy to for the unique clone of his mother...

Shinji clicked the switch and lets his suit compress. With a permitted arrogant smirk he vainly admires himself in the small mirror of his locker in a ditch effort to distract himself once more from the issue Rei unwittingly presented to the young Loren. He ultimately couldn't argue with Ritsuko Akagi about the discretions between the LCL, plug suits, and interface headsets yet it didn't mean he wasn't going to have his way on some things thanks to the concessions of the contract. Standing before Shinji was himself in a dark maroon plug suit featuring a black chest guard with equally black shoulders. The 'headset' was turned into a earpiece adorning his right ear with the duel functionality of a phone. He was a businessman after all...

Unfortunately the small trip into vanity held off the issue of Rei Ayanami for so long. The only course that made any sense to either let things be or condemn her was to actually get to know her...

Much to his relief, Rei left the locker room long before he could compel himself to have words with her, and now that he thought about it he was lacking in them in regards to her. Neither party had taken any significant time to even look at each other since they first 'met,' until recent revelations Shinji believed that the lack of dialogue from Rei was out of spite for abandoning her in that bluff from Gendo; a resentment he could easily understand.

Shinji closed his eyes and cracked his neck. He could only wish he could forestall the inevitable conversations to come from here on out.

XVX

Surface

As the world over had come to learn since the first of the Angel attacks, Shinji's contract was not limited to attire and living arrangements. Eva 01, formerly coated primarily in purple with green highlights, emerged from the ground as a forty-meter tall imposing monolith coated in black with red highlights with its yellow eyes altered to a jade green.

The opponent of the day: a massive octahedron shaped Angel floating above moving at a leisurely pace, their respective views blocked by several buildings towering over even the Eva. It came to a stop and deployed a drill to dig into the concrete, dirt, and steel beneath it. Eva 01 tried to engage yet found itself stuck in the vertical ramp as it tried to advance. It jolted once more. No dice. Another. Same result. The Eva grabbed at the ramp and tried to pry itself loose.

"Energy signature detected!" Shouted Maya Ibuki shouted. Shinji ground his teeth against each other. "Bring me down then!" He shouted. The lift sprung to life and returned the safety of the underground in at the cost of part of the horn melting off, Shinji winced as a light but intense burning sensation pricked his forehead.

XVX

Meanwhile, Central Dogma

A dark blue clothed arm retracted from the panels making up the tech support station of Central Dogma. From above, Gendo glared down at Sophia Kirrlov was she coolly left the hub to the Eva cages where Shinji would undoubtedly be for repairs to be administered to the graze Eva.

XVX

Two hours and twenty-four minutes later, briefing room

"Operation Yashima?" Rei asked for clarity.

"Yep, this Angel's AT field has been the strongest one to date according to the guys in Research. That and its method of attack seems to have a radius of roughly three-to-four clicks where anything in sight would be targeted and subsequently destroyed. We suspect the only reason the Angel didn't target Shinji right away was because he was out of sight." Misato said.

"So to sum it all up, we're taking a giant sniper rifle capable of busting a bunker wide open from across the country and going to fire it from atop a nearby mountain..." Shinji clapped his hands suddenly and asked with a sarcastic smile, "Who's the shooter then?"

"You moneybags," said Misato with a smirked. Shinji didn't lose his 'smile.' "I have to ask, why me?"

Misato adopted a thinker's pose with a finger tapping her chin. "Let me think... One, you have apparent resources NERV lacks such as sniper training. Two, you are much more likely to find someone to give you said training on short notice since the projected time the Angel would breach the Geofront is seven hours from now. Lastly three, because I said so!" Misato shouted at the last part with a victorious grin and pose!

Shinji just stared at her for while before walking off. "Hey! I didn't say when you're suppose to report in!"

Shinji just kept walking. "Shinji, come back here! Shinji? Shinji!" The bulkhead door closed behind him.

Misato sighed and turned to Rei. "Well I guess-." Rei was nowhere to be found.

Misato groaned.

XVX

Mount Kyo, twenty-three minutes till Operation Yashima

Shinji and Sophia cautiously looked left to right, down the stairs and the scaffolding, and even up at the dark sky above before he indulged in what was illegal by Japan's aged based law- smoking. Apparently the Japanese do not permit anyone under the age of twenty to smoke or indulge in alcohol. In other words unless he does it in the seclusion of a criminal den or a veritable fort like his penthouse, Japan was a living hell for the sixteen-year-olds addiction. Living in Belgium for the majority of one's life can have its drawbacks in terms of customs and familiarity of laws.

Shinji performed one more precursory check before inhaling the lighten nicotine stick. "Smoking is not conducive for one's health you know." Shinji inhaled too much for his liking out of startled fight from Rei's voice materializing from out of nowhere while his stoic bodyguard turned to eye the white plug suited teenager that snuck up on them as Shinji gagged.

A hand beats uselessly against his chest as Shinji expelled the acrid smoke from his lungs. Shinji slowly turned to his antagonist in both the current predicament, if it could be called that, and his unresolved issue regarding her all the while dropping and crushing his cigarette.

"I suppose it is, yet I'm not going to stop anytime soon," he said with a pleasant smile. On the inside, his mind drew up blanks as to how to approach her as she continued to bore into him with her red eyes.

Shinji took a inconspicuous breath while his mind continued to tumble as he went with the one question often warranted by the scenario at hand. "So what brings you here, if I may ask?"

"I came to inform you it is nearly time for the operation to begin." Rei continued to stare at him as impassively as her tone of voice.

"Ah... I suppose we should get ready then." Rei merely nodded in agreement and turned on her heel to ascend the nearby stairs, Shinji followed but a moment later followed by Sophia; Shinji's eyes half lidded in thought as they stared at the backside of his 'comrade.'

XVX

Ten minutes till Operation Yashima

Another cigarette was miraculously enjoyed as opposed to its predecessor. "Do you smoke because you are addicted to it, or to "calm your nerves" as Dr. Akagi and Major Katsuragi have put it?" It took the familiarity of her voice and the recent experience of her getting the drop on him and his bodyguard combined with self control for him not to choke on his cigarette like before. However like before, Shinji crushed the smoldering tobacco container as he turned to the unusually talkative Rei Ayanami this eve.

"For the fun of it, I leave you to figure it out." He smirked a little, yet was disappointed when he failed to elicit a reaction from Rei as she stared at him before returning her attention to the world in front of her. Inwardly sighing, Shinji mimicked her action as time silently ticked away. He glanced at Rei before returning to the sprawling city under siege. He glanced at the Evas awaiting their respective pilots and sighed. Overall during the whole time they had spent together, a collective amount of thirty minutes at best between now and when they first 'met,' he could not find anything to talk to her about. The only thing they have in common... Shinji had to resist the wanton desire to smack himself on the forehead for such a obvious topic of discussion.

"So why is it you pilot an Eva?" He asked. If anything he could get an insight to what Ritsuko may or may not have told him; she was a tad biased towards Rei... not that he entirely blamed her... in the end Rei represented Gendo's machinations no matter how much they ignored it. The question was if they could live with it or not at the end.

"I pilot the Evas for I have no other purpose." This elicited a eyebrow to be raised.

"No hobbies?" He asked.

"None."

"No friends to defend?"

"None."

"Not even a family?"

"Orphan."

"Just here because you were told?"

"Correct..." Shinji narrowed his one eyed glance at her. There was something she left out there despite its terse nature.

"It's time. Goodbye Mr. Loren," with that said she had departed to her orange coated Eva. Shinji was between flustered and pondering the reasons of his suspicion as he departed to his own, leaving Sophia behind to stare at Rei with quizzical eyes.

XVX

Elsewhere, above the Atlantic Ocean

"Right, Operation Yashima is a go. Take your bets people!" Shouted Eddie Pryor, otherwise known to the world at large at his _insistence_ as Killbane; professional 'wrestler,' leader of the Luchadores, the "Walking Apocalypse," enforcer of the Syndicate, and Angel De La Muerte's most hated enemy for shaming him.

Everyone aboard his private jet scrambled to a nearby bar to which the tender had a chalk board ready with the following odds:

First shot: Eighty-to-one.

Second shot: Thirty-to-one.

Third shot: Five-to-one.

Dies: Fifty-to-nine.

Killbane watched on in interest at the TV featuring a live night vision feed from satellite courtesy of Matt Miller as he rested his chin on his knuckled hand. As expected, Shinji's Eva assumed the position with the other one standing close by with what appeared to be a shield at the ready.

Was gambling on the life on others a good way to pass the time while waiting for the world to either be saved or ended? Probably not. Killbane smirked, if there was one thing he could say with certainty it was that the crowd demands to be entertained. Live or die, there was an audience to appease; a blood thirsty one at that.

XVX

Undisclosed location, Belgium

"So think dear little Shinji can do it?" Kiki DeWynter asked with a knowing grin.

"Hmmm... I don't know. Shinji was never that much interested in sniper rifles in general, I sincerely doubt even a colossal one like that peaked his interest any further than its size." Replied her twin Viola DeWynter with 'sincere doubt.'

Phillipe Loren simply sat in his chair taking a drag from his cigarette as he peered into the monitor.

The blackened, or rather dark green under the night vision, Eva opened fire just as the Angel retaliated with its own destructive beam, both shots contorting around each other and destroying irrelevant to their respective positions.

"What just happened?" Voila asked.

XVX

Undisclosed location, peroid

"Oh I so called it," Matt said to himself as he helped himself to a cup of ramen.

"WTF just happened?"

"Oh that was so epic111"

"Can someone be so kind as to explain that?"

"LOLZ"

The Decker's chat room was being swarmed with comments by Matt's faction of the Syndicate. Stealing a glance at the computer screen, Matt attempted to take the time to answer the question about the shots distorting each other's path when the orange, by previous description, Eva jumped in front of Shinji's Eva to take the brunt of a charged particle beam. It withstood the impact... until the shield began to melt soon followed by the scorched armor of the Eva.

It tittered in agony and staggered away till it collapsed but a moment before Shinji returned fire, the shot piercing, no, rending through the shield and center of the octahedron!

"Burn!"

"Burn"

"burn"

"Lol!"

"That's got to hurt..."

"Burn!"

Matt shook his head at the simplicity that made up the majority of the new batch of comments.

XVX

Mount Kyo

Sometimes Shinji cursed himself. In this case he mentally cursed himself as he blew on his hands after dealing with the super heated door that was the entrance to Rei's cockpit. It was the one bizarre quirk no one was able to explain the reason why... outside of some psychologists that were promptly ignored. In one case shot, but that was self defense.

He never really understood why he does it in these cases, and will probably never will.

He peered into the cockpit to find Rei safe and sound inside it. "You know there are two things I believe in regarding fights you know will happen." Rei looked on curiously. Shinji held up one finger, "One, never make plans for after a fight on the eve of one. Just makes sense since you can die in said fight." Shinji held up a second finger, "And two, never say goodbye before fighting unless you plan on dying. You never know if it would be your last one." He held out a hand to Rei. She blinked at the appendage before turning her attention to Shinji.

Almost hesitantly she touched his hand before grabbing hold and vice versa, a small part of her took note of the singed appearance of Shinji's hand. With a tug, she was pulled out of the cockpit to the world outside.

XVX

Star's Café Tokyo-Three, the next day, morning

"I am not having this conversation Matt," stated Shinji the minute Matt's voice came back to haunt him with a vengeance. Breakfast was one of those times Shinji tolerated Matt to a far lesser degree than normal.

"Not till you admit-."

"Sick'em Kinzie." If Shinji could see into the cyber world, there would have been something reminiscent to a duel between a Jedi and a Sith lord if he ever deigned to look up from the morning newspaper and his western breakfast of eggs, bacon, and ham. Shinji sipped into his coffee as he ignored the latest Eva/Angel article and the growing roar of a motorcycle.

His I-phone rang from atop the table, earning a glance to identify the caller. With a groan Shinji jabbed the answer button followed by the speakerphone option, "Shinji here."

"Sir, I would suggest you head inside for the time being till we can provide a proper escort. I'm receiving reports of a gang attacking-." Oleg's warning was cut short by the roar of a motorcycle engine combined with the crash of silverware, plates, and drinks as Shinji was yanked away by Sophia. The action was so sudden that Shinji failed to realize he was moved till he behind the giantess as she grabbed hold of Shinji's table and flung it at a passing biker dressed in a leather yellow jacket and pants, both trimmed in black; to add to the distinctive look was the symbol of a black dragon emerging from a white cloud attached to the back that doubled not only as a objet d'art, but as a holster of... a katana?

The scream of surprised Morningstar member caught his attention of a decapitated member that was, to a degree, guarding him. With a gun drawn, shots were fired at a retreating bike rider wearing the same garb as the one Sophia launched a table at.

Shinji eyed the street as a conglomerate of hums were emanating from down the road; more bikers were coming, a few dressed in a inverted set of the same colors.

Wasting not a moment, Shinji whiped out another I-phone and hit speed dial; "Oleg, I'm going to have to call you back."

**A/N: I would like to give a small shout out to RoyalTwinFangs for giving me the idea of adding the Ronin the story. Admittedly I have not thought of adding any other gangs other than nondescript gangs and the Syndicate, and to a lesser degree NERV if we stretch the limits. It makes things much more interesting, wouldn't you agree?**

**I am open to other gangs to be introduced, but I am doubtful they would be introduced. Mainly because other known Saints Row gangs are largely American based where as RTF had said, Ronin originated in Japan.**

**Will Shinji be able to accept Rei? Maybe!**

**Monkeybandit2, making off with your attention!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I own not a right to Evangelion or Saints Row or their characters, though I wish I do for the latter. It is awesome, in my opinion at least. Enjoy!**

**My warning is still in effect.**

Good Morning

Chapter 6: A taste of war

Fourth-street, Tokyo-Three

"S-shit.." a Morningstar member rasped while he clutched at his stomach. Blood by the pint seeped out the wound he covered and further desecrated his already tattered clothes. He did not bother to look up as his end became known by the clicking of a shotgun primed.

Blood spattered the Ronin's coat and pants. He pumped his shotgun and casually turned around... to be deck by a giant fist. With the wind knocked out of him, he landed on his back hard and was sequentially stomped on by an oversized foot of the Brute that just ended him.

The clone of the Russian Security Chief huffed before acting on an impulse. He grabbed the charred shell of a car and lobbed it at a gathered Ronin training their guns on him and chased after it; behind him came support in another clone hefting a minigun from atop a car with a crumpled roof, his position was swarming with newly arriving Morningstar soldiers that overturned bikes, cars, tables, frankly anything that could give them cover.

Bodies both organic and none littered the street as bullets, grenades, and even missle whizzed by one another as the two crime organizations sought the other's end. This was one of many streets to have been despoiled in just an hour after the assassination attempt of Shinji Loren's life.

XVX

Meanwhile, Highway Eleven-forty

"Kinzie, talk to me."

"They're coming into T-Three in droves. Someone apparently paid them off with enough money to tip the Titanic over, and it seems they're coming here in full force with everything that isn't nailed down to the floor." Shinji sighed as he absent mindedly tapped the arm rest of the limo that ferried him away from the Café. "I take it simply cutting the head off this snake won't be the end of it," he sighed.

"With this many coming in, including their roots in the samurai way of life, it is doubtful that killing off the leadership will effectively stop them. Splinter groups will most likely form with a few die hard members left to carry out their contract. We would have to demoralize them first before we try to destroy them at their core if we are to minimize the aftereffects," Oleg voiced out from the built in speakers.

"Anything to tell us who paid them off?" the young head asked half heartedly.

"Nope."

"Nothing like a terse answer. Can you handle the situation, Oleg?" Shinji fisted his cheek at he leaned to the side.

"I'm already on it sir," the Russian replied.

Even with the sound proofing that was added to the limo, the roar of high-powered engines made it through. He alongside Sophia turned to glance at a pack of the Ronin fast approaching the limo in sports cars and motorcycles. "If you two would excuse me, I have to make a call."

Politely waiting a second for them to bid goodbye, Shinji ended the call. "Call Jennifer," he called out.

"Jennifer Keel here," her voice rang out.

"Would you be so kind as to inform Killbane that I may be running late on my behalf?"

"Understood, is there anything else?"

"Just in case, we may want to roll out the whole nine yards."

A small sigh crept through the speakers. "I suppose it can't be helped given this little war that's brewing," she intoned wearily.

XVX

More than one passenger and rider leaned out of their car or bike armed with either a semi-automatic, a SMG (small machine gun), or even a rifle to take aim at the fleeing limo. Under no one's order, they fired round after round with the full intent of destroying the vehicle and its occupants.

Round after round utterly bounced off without a scratch. The driver of the furthest car stuck a hand out and held up a clenched fists, immediately stopping the dangerous hail from being wasted upon the unscathed limo. The hand thrusts forward, two fingers pointed forward and immediately two of the bikers dispatched themselves, swords drawn and hung dangerously close to the concrete that screamed by. It was almost child's play for them to catch up in their performance enhanced bikes and to surround the armored car; swords were raised to slash at the tires, yet a distinctive boom stopped them from carrying out the deed.

The leftward biker turned his helmeted head to the back in time to witness one of their cars swerve out of control and slam into another one, both swerved, titled, and crashed horrible on the pavement. The boom resounded once more and another car shared the first's fate, only swiping a fellow bike rider as it lost control. Craning his head to the left he spotted the source of these tragedies for the Ronin: a helicopter was cruising alongside the highway, and what appeared to be a bald man with a sniper rifle in his clutches taking aim. A third shot struck out at another of the cars to add to the wreckage.

On a whim he looks to his right and gasps under his helmet to find two _attack_ helicopters bearing down on them, but they weren't in range yet nor in an angle to rip into them without endangering the limo. The biker thrusts an arm up and waves frantically to capture the attention of the other one, only to be ignored as the Ronin hacks away at the tire.

Shaking his head, the first biker decelerates and swerves behind the limo to catch up with his comrade with a boost of nitro to save time.

Wheels screeched in startled shock when a hand suddenly claps the second biker's shoulder, who in turn turned to look at the first pointing a hand to the approaching choppers and the one allowing a sniper who continued to pick off targets.

The second biker tried to protest over the roar of the engines but was shouted down with a decisive thumbs down and the jerking of a thumb towards himself.

They back off, the second one reluctantly however, and sped past the limo to seek refuge by a freeway exit.

XVX

Central Dogma, NERV H.Q.

"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?!" barked Misato as she stormed onto the bridge to be assailed by screen after screen of the war that broke out above.

A apparent twin of Oleg crushing a man in a yellow and black biker jacket underfoot while another tried to free himself from his grip by stabbing at his arm.

Men in expensive suits armed with assault rifles were taking cover behind the burnt remnants of a car.

A biker weaving in and out of the suit's strongholds that left behind explosive presents. These were just examples of what was happening above.

"I have no idea ma'am!" a technician shouted back in rapt horror as he watches a man being beaten to death with a street sign while a nearby gangster was set ablaze.

All the while Gendo Ikari sat in the same spot many have seen him in when he was in Central Dogma; in the same position as he was accustomed to when he sat down. The glare of the screens however hide the fact that his eyes were as wide as they could be as they bore witness to the mounting carnage in plain view.

"This is not part of the scenario," he growled to no one. The last thing he wanted was a full scale war to happen in _his backyard_. "What is that fool Akuji thinking?" he wordlessly snarled once more.

XVX

Docks

To anyone who witnessed it could not help but considered the cultural absurdity that was happening. Samurai, though gang descendants of them, were fighting for their lives against Luchadores, masked Mexican based wrestlers, in all their glory between gunfights and hand to hand.

Arms were broken, chairs smashed over heads, bullets were expended, and the Ronin were in retreat from men who had seen better days in their careers with the fighting set aside.

Even with the thunder of pistols, shotguns, rifles, and even grenade launchers, constantly being fired at the retreating samurai, the lone tone of a cell phone going off was heard and answer.

"Ah, Mrs. Keel. What can Killbane do for you?" responded the one man whose phone had been reached.

"Ah, I understand. In fact I do believe I would most likely be late as well. Would you be so kind as to reschedule are meeting then?" He smirked at the response given. "Right. Now if you would excuse me..." Unceremoniously he ended the call and strode over to a crate, an opened one revealing its contents to be an RPG. His smirk turned into a grin as a wave of engine roars dominated the air once again.

XVX

Oleg's Command Room, Penthouse

"Send Wolf's Head to Spring road and give the men there cover fire for them to retreat. I want Wild Bird to cleanse streets Shi-Shi through Brown..."

Order after order, Oleg remained vigilant as he monitored the ever changing holographic table, courtesy of NERV, as squads given various call cards were moving, engaging, and retreating respectively.

"Sir, Dr. Akagi is in the building," called out a worker from the side.

"Good." Keen eyes focused on the hologram of a lone limo guarded overhead by a attack helicopter. His boss' mode of transportation in the homestretch. A slight scowl find itself upon his visage as another group of Ronin were in pursuit.

A lone red buttoned was soon flushed against a gigantic finger. "Spider Trap, you have prey."

XVX

Central Avenue

A rider-less bike crashed into a mailbox before kissing the pavement as its rider had done a second before.

An entire entourage was soon beset by missiles and gunfire, forcing them to abandon the hunt for the limo as it drove by without heed to the fight in contrast of its escort high above.

Regardless, it soon found itself upon and entering a ramp leading to an underground garage to a thirty-story building crowned by a single penthouse.

XVX

Five minutes later, Elevator

Much like Matt Miller, Kinzie had bypassed the ringing stage of his cell phone. "I managed to trace the money used to pay off the Ronin to several dummy companies."

"And?" Shinji asked as he leaned back against the wall.

"It would appear that the Ronin weren't the only ones hired. Unfortunately where the Ronin were too lazy to hire any _real_ programmers, the other accounts went through the trouble to protect their identities."

"Oh joy," the young Loren sarcastically replied.

"There's also one more thing..."

"Yes?"

"Can you tell _Mrs. Keel_ to back off about me entering the 'security' of the penthouse?"

A brief moment of silence ensued before a reply came. "You met her right?"

XVX

Drawing Room, Penthouse

Once again a glance was cast upon the form of a aggravated man of a Hispanic heritage in a near permanent scowl as he continued to glare at a blank cream colored wall. Ritsuko had to suppress a sigh as she dug through her pockets for a cigarette. Originally at least till her cell went off. A scowl of her own creased itself upon her as her hand was given a new purpose forced to retrieve the object with due prejudice as her suspicions were confirmed: Ikari was calling.

She only stared at it with the same interest as an office worker would stare at a wall, even after the tweedling came to a stop. The silence only lasted but a second before Gendo's name reappeared in a second call. Eyes clenched shut and a sharp intake of air was inhaled before she opened her eyes once more to the world, utterly ignoring the now slightly curious man off to the side as she answered against her wishes.

"Why aren't you in the base?" Ritsuko sighed slowly at the cold, demanding tone of Gendo Ikari. Choosing not the answer, not yet at least, she instead took the time and effort to find, place, and light the cigarette she so craved. She going only imagine what rage that was boiling on the other end of the line as she took a drag. "I'm fine, thank you for asking during this small crisis that now litters the city streets."

Even without facing him she could tell he wasn't remotely amused. "I asked you a question, _Doctor Akagi_," he asked as emotionlessly as before.

"Today is my day off," she tersely replied. "Even if that is a non-issue, I happen to live at least fifteen miles away from the nearest base entrance and I do believe traveling at least three feet in the city's current state is hazardous to anyone's health let alone fifteen miles." She received no reply as she took another drag.

"You're presence is required." Her eyes closed again in harmony of another sigh that was drawn out. Tilting forward, she crushed the stub of a cigarette in her hand in an ashtray. "You're going to have to wait till the fighting dies down."

"That isn't acceptable." The faux blond couldn't resist the shudder born from the severity of Gendo's tone.

"I know you are aware of the current situation on the surface," Ritsuko countered.

"Your point?" Her brows furrowed. Her lips parted to retaliate yet found themselves struck speechless when someone grabbed her phone from behind. "I believe the point is that unless you actually pay for an armored tank and send it out, you are in for a long wait Gendo." The distinctive click of a line ended rung out like a pin drop.

With bewildered eyes, Ritsuko turned to find Shinji handing her back her phone, and a pack of cigarettes. A coy smile played on her lips. "How courteous of you."

XVX

Gendo's Office, NERV

If he could, Gendo would've balled his hands into fists and attempted to break his desk. However he had to make another call.

"How may I help you, Mr. Ikari?" came a polite yet curt voice.

"Is there a reason you have decided to come into _my_ city with an _army_?" Gendo quietly demanded.

"Is there a reason you withheld the fact that your son is allied with the Syndicate?" The leader of NERV had to fight off a gasp least he loses not only face but standing as well.

"From your silence I would have to assume you believed your son had only thugs for company, much like your own." The eyes of Gendo Ikari narrowed to slits at the supposition. "Be grateful you had paid more than enough to cover overhead costs, Mr. Ikari, for otherwise we wouldn't have taken the job."

With nothing else to say, the line went dead before Gendo could respond. Even with gloves, his hands bled with his fingers digging into flesh.

"It seems my decisions were well founded after all," he said to the vast emptiness of his office.

XVX

Abandoned Warehouse

"DAMN IT!" A biker's helmet crashed and cracked against a wall by the fury of its owner.

"Calm down kid-"

"Calm down?! We had the numbers! We could've crippled that oversized jalopy! We-"

"We're up against the _Syndicate_. The Ronin aren't the _only_ organization out there that can go head to head with anyone."

The unmasked biker ground his teeth to reign in his rage.

"Besides..." The only biker with a helmet received a pointed glare. "No matter how badly you want him dead for your sister, we have to bring him in _alive_. Am I understood?"

XVX

Oleg's Command, Penthouse

"Targets confirmed sir, we're awaiting your orders."


End file.
